I recently read Rilke's short work of poetry entitled Poems from the Book of Hours and was blown away. Here are a few of my favorites:
"We are all Workmen"
We are all workmen: prentice, journeyman,
or master, building you — you towering nave.
And sometimes there will come to us a grave
wayfarer, who like radiance thrills
the souls of all our hundred artisans,
trembling as he shows us a new skill.
We climb upon the rocking scaffolding,
the hammers in our hands swing heavily,
until our foreheads feel the caressing wing
of a radiant hour that knows everything,
and hails from you as wind hails from the sea.
Then hammerstrokes sound, multitudinous,
and through the mountains echoes blast on blast.
Only at dusk we yield you up at last:
and slowly your shaping contours dawn on us.
God, you are vast.
"What Will You Do God, When I Die?"
What will you do, God, when I die?
When I, your pitcher, broken, lie?
When I, your drink, go stale or dry?
I am your garb, the trade you ply,
you lose your meaning, losing me.
Homeless without me, you will be
robbed of your welcome, warm and sweet.
I am your sandals: your tired feet
will wander bare for want of me.
Your mighty cloak will fall away.
Your glance that on my cheek was laid
and pillowed warm, will seek, dismayed,
the comforts that I offered once –
to lie, as sunset colors fade
in the cold lap of alien stones.
What will you do, God? I am afraid.
"Put Out My Eyes"
Put out my eyes, and I can see you still;
slam my ears to, and I can hear you yet;
and without any feet can go to you;
and tongueless, I can conjure you at will.
Break off my arms, I shall take hold of you
and grasp you with my heart as with a hand;
arrest my heart, my brain will beat as true;
and if you set this brain of mine afire,
upon my blood I then will carry you.
While I suggest you get the real book, heres a link to an olnine version:
http://thefloatinglibrary.com/rilke/poems-from-the-book-of-hours/
Do it!!!
26.12.10
#11 12/10 sometimes i am never
sometimes i am never
sometimes all i can feel is the wind;
skin turns to tender brail and
loose hair flows across my face, to my eyes a veil.
sometimes my soul is blind
as the frail aged Engineer whose
ghostly haze of eyes, numbering ten, see everything,
but even He could not read me.
sometimes all i can feel is the wind;
He tells the leaves to rustle and ignite me, but
my wick has been left out at sea, for
even satan’s flame would cease
to light me, even Holy grip would fail
to right me, and even Engineer’s tips would fight
to sight me, but i can still only feel the wind
despite me. sometimes i feel my heart to remember i am alive and
question if my wordy hands defy me, perhaps
the wind is right, perhaps
my pulse lacks might, perhaps
my reasons are slight, for sometimes all i can feel is the wind.
-l.a.
#10 12/10
“”
earthen line sanguine streams over velvet stone
as quivering curls of eternal Davidian chest,
exists in every flowing crest
a world of microcosmic breadth,
anguish blossoms, piercing thorns
begetting hate ‘round every bend,
slicing sweet existence
forsaken friend,
chamber forged of chamber peace,
insignificant morsel induces
life of love
as fleeting moment meet,
echoes cascade, compelling season wane,
chamber quells, fate emanates,
prevailing crest ascends elusory throne
in ethereal reign,
to be is to be only ephemeral grace,
for no face is free of age,
being flows as pen on page
-l.a.
#9 12/10
one thousand more
leather lies, this weathered prose,
barren feather, vain pages dissect,
from thousand’s eyes, he doth repose,
on auburn grain, on life reflect
‘fore corners worn, ‘fore mortal sphere,
antiquated hands, tender artisan brush,
His every stitch, done most sincere,
with cardinal ink, papyrus flush
veiled close, cross Sea of Black,
enlightened soul, limbs hold tight,
relinquish he must, to get it back,
this carnal crave, commanding fight
thousand innocent eyes strip heart from word,
for thousand more shall parable be heard
-l.a.
#8 12/10
a petal tells a thousand stories
bombarded by tremendous hate,
odds in favor of fate cruel,
‘round every corner, nature wait,
survival, breaking every rule
child born, unto his mother,
grain of sand, toward sea abreast,
life blood, with she must smother,
for any chance, at family crest
pacing lightly, circle formed,
young child, loves aloud,
a thousand grains, for them he mourned,
at last, petal seeps from shroud,
a thousand stories, she tells proud
-l.a.
#7 12/10
under the Nothing tree
charred branches crawl into the sky,
ice light, cutting sharp the vast,
silhouette raven, out doth he cry,
for his Nothing army, let Nothing last
in shut lids, the Nothing charge,
feel this Nothing, for none can see
in nimble stride, this Nothing barge,
heat equal to, the no degree
the Nothing come from every side,
not dark, not light, a shade unknown,
to shy from Nothing, is to die,
in many souls, it has shown,
free your eyes, none are alone
-l.a.
25.12.10
#3 12/10
nectar of death
wintery hands eternal intertwine,
lines that could recite
requiem dark as night,
fallen stars it doth incite,
two, these vines wrapped clandestine,
licentious love, as such, divine
limp they lie on barren stone,
none are words need come to pass,
breathless lips fog poison glass
stained in blood, none gentle mass,
befitting souls, by He is sown,
tangible world, essence unbeknown
-l.a.
#2 12/10
“”
nimble wave
of
satin sound
wafts over blank thoughts
as autumn embers
carry
on silent wings
if
age could annotate,
clouds
would read as revelation
a story
fate,
innumerable of every
date
whisper spurs
deluge élan
inciting
blitzkrieg
on the shattered cities
of my heart
-l.a.
#1 12/10
sunday morning
slowing beats, my blood is warm,
interlaced we lie, in heart and soul,
essence of love, i feel form
lapse into your eyes, an infinite hole
eclipsed in sheets, naked we lie,
skin to skin, a tender touch,
slender legs laced, a knot we tie,
thoughts mingle, as one is such
gentle breasts, against my chest,
silken hair, my fingers brush,
upon my shoulder, a head at rest,
mere sight of you, in veins a rush
-l.a.
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